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[October 2002]
Cement and Ceramic Building Materials Growing in PR China
Bauma China 2002 takes place at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre
from 5-8 November 2002 amid reports of rapid growth in the Chinese building
materials markets. With an output of US$181 billion in 2000, China was the
fourth largest building market in the world by value. According to a report
by Euro Asia Consulting GmbH (EAC), 1.5 billion square metres of new space
were built. Previously, between 1997 and 1999, the market in building
materials grew by an annual 9%.By far the largest part of the building materials market is accounted for by
cement. In 1999, according to the EAC report, sales of cement amounted to
US$22.3 billion. By 2010 this is predicted to rise still further, by 4% per
year. Government statistics put consumption in 2000 at a mighty 573 million
tonnes. By comparison, the USA, which is the second largest market for
cement in the world, used 85 million tonnes, Japan 81.7 million tonnes and
Germany (fourth) 36 million tonnes.In second place in terms of market volume in building materials are ceramic
materials. Between 1995 and 1998 the market grew by an annual rate of 12%
to reach US$5.2 billion. By 2010, the EAC report predicts, growth will have
continued at 3% per year.Ceramic tile sales are rising at a faster rate - around 5% - but one
important development to note is that from 30 June 2003, the use of
traditional clay tiles will be banned completely in the coastal cities.
Future growth in plaster-based building materials is put at 17% and in
insulation materials at 7%.
ENDS